Game of Skies: The Sea Is Not Even Clean Enough to Swim It
by SaurabhFiction
Summary: Redux of Bioshock Infinite w/ original characters. Ashish wakes up in a plane being harassed by a mastermind. He escapes, jumps out of the plane, and lands in Columbia. He's given a mission to correct the disruption of space-time, all while discovering the truth of Columbia, and learning how his choices affect destiny, all so he can get back to the future. Spoilers.
1. Would You Fall From It Kindly: The Sky

**Prologue**

_"Would You Fall From It Kindly: The Sky"_

* * *

Ashish knew he was in a plane b/c of turbulent nature of it. He didn't remember going to airport or some other place, and he couldn't even remember boarding some plane. The last thing he remembered was sitting in living room w/ Bhuppi, his dear friend, and discussing fast cars, helicopter, and speedboats - which were material possessions to yearn for w/ the potential to have greater fortunes to obtain the same.

It was cargo airplane (also called "cargo plane" for a shorter term to refer to it). The cabin was quite voluminous and the turbulence was so bad. Turbulent flight was cause by difference in air pressure and wind resistance above/below wings, which would jostle aircraft and cause impact tremor to be felt by passenger until such a differential was correct and smoothen for it to stop doing it. Ashish spent much time in various aircraft w/ Loosev Man on various mission, but as he looked around large cabin, he didn't even see flight attendant or other type of staff. In fact, he was tied to some chair!

"Hello, Ashish," a man voice say. It was a familiar voice, nearby, coming from straight ahead in cabin of cargo plane.

"Yo," Ashish say.

"If you didn't wake up, I feared the future would be lost," man tell to Ashish, walking closer from within shadows of cockpit, which was another area of plane designate for other kinds of flight control.

"The future..." Ashish say.

Ashish's brain did rewind back to apartment w/ Bhuppi, before memory went dark and Ashish woke up in plane. He remembered receiving a phone call on iPhone, answering phone, and hearing a voice...

_Tell me, Ashish... Can you fly?_

The man's footsteps were loud on metal floor. He walked closed until he was standing just few feet from position of Ashish. Ashish couldn't even see his face since it was envelop by shadow. He was wearing blue jean, long sleeve dark t-shirt, shoe, and a nice wristwatch to tell what time's it. Ashish could tell it was expensive which was likely to be purchase at department store at mall which was a premium place to do it.

Man was stand behind another chair, and sitting inside chair was some other person. Ashish looked through dark and had to wait few seconds for his eyes to adjust to it, since scientific explanation was responsible for why he couldn't even see that good in dark areas.

Ashish looked around room of airplane. He blinked lot of times and soon, his eyes were adjust. He looked at nearby table and saw various items, including his iPhone, nunchuk, and bluetooth-arsenal of choice on various missions w/ Loosev and Jones. Already, Ashish was formulating plan for escape, and to make man pay for kidnapping him. Finally, he looked back at man, and at person in chair across from him. It was...

"Bhuppi!" Ashish yell. "Yo man, how'z it going!"

Bhuppi wasn't even answer. He just sit there and didn't do one thing. Ashish had shared previously many journeys and activities w/ Bhup, including recent trip to secret island of Dunwall in order to rescue whales and restore honor back to the name of the kingdom. But now...it was so different of a time. Bhuppi was usually always smile, but not now...

"YO!" Ashish say, kicking Bhup. "HOW IT'S GOING, MAN?"

Still, not even a thing to respond to it. Bhup was sit there without conscious.

Man was laugh, and Ashish was becoming very anger with him.

"Why did you do it," Ashish say.

"I wouldn't worry about him," man say. "You're the important one, Ashish."

Ashish was struggle against ropes. "You don't even know who I am, man..."

Man was snicker at Ashish. Snicker was common candy bar given to children for good behavior, but Ashish recently learn that it's also word to describe laugh executed by a person who's not a kind individual to really be interacting with.

Man walked out from behind Bhup and approached Ashish. Light from windows was flicker due to turbulence of plane, and light fixtures + natural light briefly did light on man's face, which cause Ashish to see glimpse of man's face. He saw white man w/ strong jaw bone, w/ brown hair and some beard...not a big one, but groomed in nice fashion which was depicting strong sense of fashion and masculinity.

"But I do, Ashish," man say, walking closer. Ashish looked at man's hand and saw glass bottle w/ strange liquid inside it.

"So who am I if you know so much about it," Ashish say, grinning.

Man was now standing behind Ashish. He tell to Ashish: "The question you should be asking is: do you know me?"

"Who is it," Ashish say. "Why are you doing it?"

Man placed hand on Ashish's neck and took deep breath. Ashish didn't even know what man's doing back there, and knew he needed to get out of ropes to get back his weapons.

"I'm your master, Ashish. And you," he said via whisper...

Just then, Ashish felt some needle go into his neck. Needle was often use in doctor's office + other situation, particularly when some kind of unlawful experiment or biological introduction of some kind of pathogen or viral agent was use to infect someone or conduct some kind of experiment for it. Man then walked away from Ashish and dropped needle + bottle on floor. He then went to nearby bar area and poured himself some alcoholic beverage.

"...You hold the key to the future, Ashish. To my future. The one I'm planning for a family of people who understand the true meaning of perfection," he say, raising glass to Ashish. "We all have dreams, Ashish. Some dream high, while others are content to waft through the trenches of society, festering on the boot heels of those who would walk all over them, begging for a morsel to eat or a dime to spend," man said, taking sip of his alcoholic beverage which was often associate w/ loss of inhibition and poor judgment. "Some choose to pursue what they believe is possible. I chose the impossible. I chose..."

Man was continue to talk about things and Ashish didn't even know what's the meaning of it. He was begin to feel funny and sweat a bit, which was unfortunate since he took shower earlier in day. He tried to move out of ropes to get away from it, but harness was of industrial grade which could be purchase at Home Depot, which reminded Ashish of where he met his roommate Todd. Todd was insolent and misbehaved and came from poor white upbringing, much like man in airplane.

Ashish felt his veins tingle w/ life and new kinds of genetic material, traveling from the point of entry down his neck, arms, torso, legs, groin area, and even up to his brain which provided him w/ a deeper understanding of the meaning of what was to happen to him, and what kind of new parameters would govern his bodily functioning. He looked over at Bhuppi while man was still talking, walking around room drinking drink.

"Bhup..." Ashish whisper. He kicked Bhuppi in his shin. "Yo man, get up."

Bhuppi groaned and finally woke up from it, and he looked around dark airplane and was confuse. He didn't know where he was. Ashish smile due to warmth of being in company of close friend in perilous of a situation. As his eyes adjusted to darkness, Ashish noticed on nearby table his arsenal: nunchuk, iPhone + bluetooth.

"Ashish...?" Bhup ask while very confuse. "Where's it?"

"Don't worry, Bhup. I will get us out."

Meanwhile, man was continuing speech w/ lot of energy:

"...Where the scientist would not be bound by petty morality...where the great would not be constrained by the small...and with the sweat of your brow-"

"Oh, ok," Ashish say. "But what does your mom call you by? What name is it."

Man stopped talking and walking and just stared at Ashish. Ashish was begin to sweat now, and for some reason he was feel all parts of his body being tickle by something, and it was make him laugh!

"Ha ha ha..." Ashish say. "What is your name, man? Ha ha ha...You don't even ha-have one...ha ha ha!"

Man took final sip of his beverage and dropped it to floor. He smiled at Ashish.

"My name..." man say.

"What's it," Ashish tell him. His skin felt on fire, like it was volcano about to erupt on town like in movie Volcano starring Tommy Lee Jones actor, who was inspiration for dear friend of Ashish: Jones, who was similar a movie hero + secret agent who helped him on mission, especially to recent mission toward secret isle of Dunwall by driving helicopter at opportune moment.

"My name is Ken Levine," the man in the airplane told to Ashish in the chair of it.

"Ohhh, ok," Ashish say. "Will remember it."

All of sudden, Ashish got huge surge of energy from needle that was stuck into him, and his skin was suddenly on fire with flame + molten rock. Ashish was at first fearful of the same, but then he realize it didn't even hurt him at all, and that he could use his power to do lot of things, like attack aggressors, bad guys, etc. He broke free from harnesses in chair and shot fireball on either side of him, poking holes in plane which caused pressure loss + some wind to get in.

Emergency lights were begin to flash.

"What the hell's going on back there?" pilot said from cockpit area.

Ashish unleashed fireball at cockpit and killed pilot. All of sudden, plane became more turbulent as hydraulic and avionic capability of the craft were being thrown out of sort, and plane was begin to plummet, which was a sensible thing to happen according to proven laws of physics and universe.

"Yes," Ken Leven say. "Become what you were meant to be, Ashish."

"Oh, ok," Ashish say.

Ken Leven was hit w/ fireball and was knocked into compartment of plane that was used for loading/unloading, which contained loading ramp that led to rear of plane. Ashish pressed button, and access panel in back opened, exposing back of plane to the skies. Wind was blow a lot, indicative of not only high altitude but also spinning plane that was going out of control. Ken Leven was holding on to edge of back ramp, about to fall out of plane, when Ashish walk up to him.

"It looks like you are the victim of your own dirty game," Ashish tell to him. "How would you like to play a game of skies, Mr. Levon?"

Ashish smiled at his clever line, since it was indicative of current environment: namely, that plane was flying/tumbling through sky, and that if someone was fall out of it, they would twirling and in sky. Since KL loved to play games...now table was turn on him to do the same.

Ashish look down at Kent Leviance and studied his face for a bit. He looked at his beard, which was a prominent component of various masculine figure throughout history. Ashish wondered if he should grow beard or continue to depict mustache, which was the sign of a true gentleman.

"This game," KL say. "It's only just beginning."

Ashish prepared one more fireball, but before he could do it, Ken Laven smiled up at Ashish and let go of the edge of the plane, and fell down into the sky, to never even be seen to do it again.

Ashish watched as KL was defeat, not even knowing why he was so crazy or what's it for. KL appeared to be very troubled, and Ashish wanted for him to do well in life.

"Follow ur dreams," Ashish say.

Then, plane was begin to jostle and tear apart due to weakness in structural integrity resulting from fireballs, destroyed cockpit, and other kind of damage.

"Thirty seconds to cabin explosion," automated voice say.

"Ashish!"

Ashish turned to see Bhup still tied to chair. Bhup grabbed Ashish's arsenal from the nearby table. Ashish smiled at how thoughtful of a friend he was lucky to have in Bhuppi, for this gesture.

"Ashish! I got them! Come on, get me out of here!"

"Bhuppi, hold on!" Ashish tell him. "I'll do it man. I'll get you out."

Ashish ran over to Bhuppi, but plane was bumping and spinning all around and it was become difficult to really do it w/ good efficiency and poise. Ashish fell couple of times, but he got up to get to Bhuppi, b/c Bhup was dear friend of his who deserved a wonderful and prosperous life. Bhuppi had recently been through lot of heartbreak due to recent death of his wife-to-be: Ekta, due to tragedy on Bachelor gameshow when other contestants knocked Ekta off of roof of beach estate and killed her by accident.

"Twenty seconds to cabin explosion," automatic voice say.

"Bhup, hold on to-"

Just then, plane was jostle again, and this time, floor of cabin was tearing apart! The chair that Bhuppi was sit in was crumble and lose integrity, and all of sudden, Bhup + chair were being knocked into air, ready to head out of rear opening in plane! Ashish saw all of it happen in slow motion like in popular action movie 'Matrix,' which starred many fine celebrity w/ good skill in martial art combat. Slowly...Bhup was being sucked out of airplane, strapped to chair, and holding onto nunchuk, iPhone, and bluetooth headset for iPhone. Ashish watched and was very frighten of prospect of losing such a dear friend to unfortunate circumstance. Ashish was run toward the edge of the plane against all turbulence, and when Bhup got to end, the rip he was tied to was snag onto edge of cargo ramp.

"Ashish!" Bhuppi say, holding out his hand which was contain iPhone, nunchuk + bluetooth. "Take these!"

Ashish didn't even know why it's called bluetooth since tooth was commonly found in mouth, and bluetooth goes in ear, but he decide it wasn't even an appropriate time to think about naming convention of various electronic product. Ashish took items from Bhuppi, tucking nunchuk into his belt, bluetooh in his ear, and phone in pocket.

Plane then shook again from mini explosion. Rope began to loosen from edge of ramp, and Bhuppi was slipping!

"Ashish!" Bhup say.

"Ten seconds to cabin explosion..."

"Bhup, I can't even know what to do. We're both doom," Ashish say, as he begin to cry. He wanted to save Bhup, but w/ impending explosion, he didn't even know how to do it.

"Ashish, listen to me!" Bhup say. "This is your mission. I know you're scared, but you have to jump, man!"

"Oh," Ashish say. "Yo man it's too high."

"There's a city below us, Ashish! A floating city!"

"But..."

"Trust me, man. You have superpowers now. Use them..."

"How do you know this, Bhup?" Ashish ask him.

"There's no time, Ashish..."

"Five seconds..."

"Good luck, my friend..."

And with this statement, Bhup let go of the rope and fell out of the plane!

Time was operate in slow motion again. Mission? Super power? Floating city in the sky? Bhup dead? Ken Logan? Ashish didn't even know what to do, but he trusted Bhup since he had long history of destinous friendship w/ him. He felt the fire in his body grant him lot of power, and w/ his arsenal in his pocket and bluetooth in his ear, he knew what he had to do. Ashish took few steps back, ran toward back of plane...and jumped out of the same!

Seconds later, looking up, Ashish saw cargo plane explode above him, showering down fragment and debris w/ flame charred edges and various other foreign object. Ashish smile at this appropriate expression 'foreign object' since it was also indicate of aircraft assembly w/ manufactured parts from foreign country, which doubled as appropriate expression.

Ashish turned his body around and began to use fireball technique to deflect various piece of debris which were approach him. As he looked up at smoldering rubble of plane which was continue to fall, he noticed few more pieces break off...but these were not debris! Ashish watched as these fragment were zig-zag and fly in erratic pattern, which was indicate of some kind of programming or human-made manufacturing craftsmanship. W/ wind blowing all over the place, Ashish watched as the tiny drones turned and started to fly quickly to Ashish.

"Oh, man," Ashish say. He quickly turned around and began to dive bomb down into clouds.

As he was free fall, in the distance, Ashish saw spinning chair w/ Bhuppi in it disappear beneath the clouds in some different direction. Ashish was sadful to see it happen, but he knew Bhup wanted him to survive to live on, find new fulfillment in life, achieve mission, and maybe meet pretty girls to share life + happiness with.

Whatever wishes and dreams for Bhuppi Ashish had was eliminate by new reality of drones shooting at him! Ashish began to dodge bullets in clouds, doing zig-zag and various other evasive maneuver to make it a good escape. As Ashish penetrated through some more cloud, he was surprise by what he saw! A floating city of vast architecture and impressive technologies! Ashish didn't even know what's the science explanation to make him believe it wasn't even a fairy tale, but it was all in front of him!

"Wow," Ashish say. "It is a true scientific accomplishment."

Just then, Ashish heard his phone ring. He pressed button on bluetooth to answer it.

"Yo," Ashish say, falling and getting closer to city. He could see green grass, balloon, carnival, and some nice paintings and metal roller coaster ramps going all around floating city. On phone, he heard familiar voice of Loosev Man, his dear friend, mentor, and father figure!

"Ashish, you're alive."

"Loosev!" Ashish say, dodging bullet. "Man I'm busy now"

"We've been trying to reach you for hours. Your comm signal went dark."

"Yo man I was in a plane," Ashish tell him. "I was given super power by Kevin. I jumped out of the plane, though, man and now am being chase by drone as I fall to skyful city."

"You're free-falling into Columbia right now. You need to use your powers to slow your fall, Ashish. It's the only way you'll survive."

"Oh, ok," Ashish tell him. As he say this, he dropped by some buildings where residents were enjoying meal of breakfast. Ashish pointed his arm at them and manage to steal bowl of cereal from them. He used spoon and was eating while fall, but cereal + milk was go everywhere! Ashish was sadden at this, since nourishment was important aspect of staying in good shapes, and b/c his new power had limitation by scientific law of physic. Plus, also the sacred nature of milk beverage was often overlooked by society, and Ashish was determine to portray it as life-giving element without which anyone could even operate machinery, do sport, or even automobile.

"Ashish, there's something you need to know about Columbia."

Just then, as Ashish was approach buildings and was flying around them, drones were doing the same and shoot! Ashish dodged around various building like in Iron Man movie. He turned around and fired various fireballs at drones. He killed three out of four of them, and then turned back around to continue flying down to main area of Columbine.

"Columbia's plagued by tears, Ashish."

"Yo like crying, Loosev? Is it sad?"

"No, Ashish. Tears. Rips in the fabric of space-time. It's how we're able to communicate with you from your reality."

"Hehehe," Ashish say. "Yo man you have to take it to tailor to fix it w/ sewing equipment."

Up ahead, Ashish saw various rollercoaster lines which were stretch around perimeter of city. He saw it to be good method of transport if he had proper technology...which he fortunately did! Ashish took out nunchuk from his utility belt, and as he approached, he swung nunchuk over the rail of it, hooked it around, and held onto both handle w/ one hand! It was like a maneuver out of action movie featuring Jones, and Ashish was swinging down skyline!

Drone shot few more bullets, and now Ashish was anger.

"I am tired of it," Ashish say.

He turned around, fired fireball and killed the drone. He continued to swing down zipline, and in distance, he saw some carnival happening.

"Ashish," Loosev say into bluetooth. "Every choice you make results in a new universe being created. Alternate realities that represent the infinite possibilities of the choices you decide. There's an instability surrounding Columbia, one that's causing all these realities to overlap, and we believe Elizabeth is the source of all this."

"Oh, ok," Ashish tell him. "Yo what's Elizbeth."

"Your mission is to find her, Ashish. You need to set things right in Columbia, or your future will be lost."

"It is time travel..." Ashish say. He recalled watching popular movies involving adventurous teenager, bully, and brilliant doctor on DVD player at home called "Back 2 the Future." It was an award-winning series which was now having real-world ramification in secret city of Columbia.

"Yes, Ashish. Elizabeth is the key," he told to Ashish. "She's more capable than she looks, and we need to take the necessary steps to neutralize Comstock. Befriend him, fight him-whatever you need to do. Get close to him and finish the job. We need Elizabeth or everything is lost."

Ashish didn't even know what's Comstock, but trusted advice of Loosev, who was his dear friend on many missions.

"Ohk," Ashish say. "I will save her...and get back to the future."

"We have intel that Booker Dewitt has been contracted to rescue Elizabeth as well. He's a key player in this, and it's imperative that you do not interact with him. You cannot interfere with his job. He may look like an outsider, but he's just as key to this as Elizabeth. I'm sending the intel to your phone. Check it out as soon as possible."

"Ohk, Loosev. Thx man, will call u back."

Ashish then hung up phone and was continue to swing down skyline. He was approach to the carnival, and saw that various people were holding baseball. Baseball was sport commonly played by various athlete in America, Asian area, and some other places. It was involve hitting ball and to throw it, and then see who gets to base before scoring points to the dugout. Ashish approached carnival and he see two people on stage, one black and one white. They were stand together in harmony which was testament to forward-thinking principles of progress, romantic entanglement, and social order. But, Ashish also know that culture scene in black/white society was tarnish which was result of poor upbringing, and often indicate of loose moral alignment, questionable virtue, and some disease.

In carnival, Ashish saw man in crowd about to throw baseball at person on stage, but then cops detained the man in the crowd for some reason! Ashish checked intel on his phone and saw that man in crowd was resemble Booker DeWitt! Since Ashish had strong moral conviction and b/c Booker was goodguy, Ashish unhooked himself from skyline just as cops were about to hit Booker with rotating hook device. Ashish shot couple of fireballs down into crowd, hitting various people, and then landed on one of cops and hit him w/ nunchuk, killing him.

When it was all over, Ashish was on ground next to Booker Do It.

"Yo," Ashish say. "How'z it going man."

Booker was stand up. He brushed dirt off him. "Appreciate the save," Booker say. "Somehow you don't strike me as a local. Want to tell me your name?"

Ashish stand up tall in front of Booker. He put nunchuk in his pocket, and looked down at his own hand and saw wound which was inflict during his descent to Columbia. Looking close, Ashish notice that wound was inflict from drone shrapnel, which carved mark which resembled letters 'ad' on his hand. Looking down at hand of Booker, Ashish noticed letters 'AD' on hand of Booker.

In distance, Ashish and Booker watched as flaming exploded cargo plane from earlier was plummet down into clouds below.

"Am Ashish," Ashish say to him. "And I have to get back to the future..."


	2. Columbia's Politics Just Sucks, Man

**Act II**

"_Columbia's Politics Just Sucks, Man"_

* * *

After firefight w/ cops was done, Ashish made new friend in Booker. He was sadden at loss of Bhuppi, and shed some tears for it, but now Booker was a very capable and handsome guy. He didn't even have mustache on his face, but he was masculine guy who good taste in weapon, clothing, and women. Ashish checked out photo of Elizbeth on his iPhone from intel received via Loosev, and he became excite. Elizabeth was attractive of a female to pursue it, and Ashish knew that he and Booker had similar taste. Booker even was start w/ letter B, just like Bhup! But, Ashish was confuse since 'book' was commonly associate w/ school, or objective to read from in certain location, like library or store, or even e-book in recent technological development.

"Yo," Ashish say. "Where you're going?"

"To get Elizabeth," Book told him. "She's my ticket out of this."

"Let me come w/ you."

"Might be better if we're not seen together, kid. Besides," Booker say, nodding at Ashish. "If you're anything like me, we're better off alone."

Ashish smile, but then looked more closely at Booker, who appeared to be formal soldier who'd been through many battle for sake of his country, who was trouble by lot of different things in life.

"We cannot spend our lives alone, Booker. It's my destiny to do it."

"Talk like that would put you in good with Comstock. Maybe you guys should have a little chat."

With that, Booker ran off to go save Elizabeth. Ashish was surround by lot of colors, including green grass, blue sky, some nice cloud, and very beautiful sceneries which were depict by fancy building, carnivals, tents, houses, and even some large statue in distance of the clouds.

"It is beautiful architecture," Ashish say.

But, as Ashish was looking around at people and architecture, he noticed lot of people were look at him in strange fashion, like they weren't even used to seeing visitor or secret agents. Some white woman w/ her little kid son were walk by, and Ashish smile at them.

"Yo," he say.

Little child was begin to cry, and mother was rush the two of them away. Ashish was confuse + anger due to fact that he was met w/ rudeness, and b/c white child reminded him lot of Todd, who was also insolent of a roommate and was bringer of lot of painful memory.

After mom + child left, Ashish noticed something else: in middle of air, there was some kind of flicker or light happen which was refracting natural sunlight and causing odd electrical disturbance to emanate from the same. Ashish was approach it, and noticed that when he looked closer, it was like looking through a window! Ashish brought his face up to the disturbance and peeked through it like it was keyhole in door of girl's locker room to get a look inside.

Ashish saw inside tear, and saw himself sleeping inside some bedroom, which was locate in warehouse. Ashish recognized warehouse as belong to S-Konda, villain that he and Loosev used to do battle with various times in past. Ashish recalled various nights he used to spend in warehouse, and how it was disorient. It was from a time he didn't even want to do again, and wasn't even sure if he was seeing a dream, or nightmare, or something from the past or future...so he blinked.

Tear changed to new channel, and Ashish saw some handsome man w/ mustache typing at computer about everything Ashish was doing! Ashish was flabbergast, and blinked his eye couple of time, but then he saw something else through keyhole disturbance. He saw various kids sitting at computers, laptops, iPod, iPhone, droid + other mobile device, visiting .com + .com and reading story involving Ashish in Columbia, plus other story...! After reading story about Ashish, people were clapping and cheering!

"Whoa," Ashish say, stepping away from disturbance. "What's it..."

Truly, Columbia was island of many secrets and mysteries that couldn't even be explain.

"You look lost, young man," a voice say. Was female.

Ashish turned around and saw an attractive woman who was a black. Ashish was not typically attract to black due to fact that in his culture, darker skin was associate w/ less desirous nature, but Ashish couldn't even understand how beautiful she was! So exotic, w/ hair and nice body...

"Yo," Ashish say to it. He pulled out comb and combed his hair a bit. "Am Ashish."

"Don't see too many of your kind around here. Indian, right?"

Ashish was amaze! Such a beautiful woman who was black was also very well educate! "How's it?" Ashish ask. "What's ur name?"

"Daisy," girl said to Ashish. "Daisy Fitzroy. And you are?"

"Am Ashish," Ashish tell her. "And I'm also the man of your dreams. If you follow me, you'll be following your dreams..."

Ashish was proud of clever line he used for girl to hear it, and was hopeful that she would be impress and wish to court him at some point in future.

"Look, Ashish."

"Yes, Daisy..." Ashish whispered her name, which was elegant like the flower after which she was named to bear a resemblance to the same.

"I don't know how you got here, but after your little crash landing over there, things won't stay quiet for long."

"I need to save Elizbeth," Ashish say. "And get back to the future...so that maybe I can save Bhuppi."

"Well, between your spectacle back there, and the attack tomorrrow...The founders'll have their hands full. That bastard Comstock won't know what hit 'em."

"Comstock..." Ashish say. He recalled wise words of Loosev man in previous chapter, and knew he had to infiltrate to get close it. "You know him?"

"I used to work for him," Daisy say to Ashish. She looked down at ground and thought about something for a second. Then she looked back at Ashish. "Asshole thinks he's God's gift. A prophet, something or other."

Ashish was confuse. Profit was term typically designate in economical or business scenario involving financial gain, or scenario in which certain amount of money was cost to make something, but then when you go to sell the same, you charge customer larger sum of it in order to compensate for labor + services rendered.

"He makes lot of money?" Ashish ask.

"Worse," Daisy say. "He thinks he can see the future. And that son of bitch wants to enslave everyone else."

"Where can I find him?" Ashish say.

"So you're in," Daisy say.

Ashish nod.

"Good. Come to the pub in Finkton, 6 pm tonight. We meet in the basement at sunset," she say. "And Ashish?"

"Yes, Daisy?"

"Don't be late."

Ashish listened to final statement of Daisy, and wonder if it was even some kind of a threat to speak it. Seconds after, Daisy ran away, and Ashish was excite. He was happy to have earned a date with such an exotic woman, especially if it was allow him to have opportunity to gain support to defeat Comstock and get closer to fulfilling objective, figuring out secrets to secret floating city of Columbia, and learning how to tip scales of social unrest that was plague the same.

He walked around city for a bit, taking photos on iPhone and uploading them to Facebook album 'Columbia Trip'. He took photo of nice statue floating in different part of city, various works of architecture. He also took photos of himself w/ Handyman, who was sitting in corner of some alley, fearful of his own mechanical suit. Ashish was amaze of technological achievement of Handyman, which was obviously result of diligent engineering effort + various other trips to Home Depot and hardware store.

Handyman was appear to be sad, and was looking at his hands like it wasn't even part of his natural body. Ashish didn't know what's wrong w/ it, but he decide to talk to Handyman and maybe make friend w/ it after taking some photo.

"Yo," Ashish say to it. "Am looking for Comstock + Elizabeth. How do I get it."

Handyman looked up at Ashish, and then looked back down at floor. He was just sit there and didn't even want to do one thing. Ashish noticed bottle of beverage next to Handyman, and realize how thirsty he was! He didn't even eat one thing since he got to Columbian!

"Can I have some?" Ashish ask.

Handyman looked down at bottle and then slide it over to Ashish w/ his hand. Ashish picked up bottle and read label, which say "Shock Jockey" on it. Ashish didn't even know if it was new kind of energy drink or some kind of product which was indigenous to sub-population of Columbia, but he held bottle up to his lips and drank from it. It tasted like delicious fizzy soda, and energized Ashish to high degree. He drank entire bottle in one gulp!

Handyman was looking up at Ashish, and Ashish notice that chamber of his heart was beat very fast, which meant that Handyman was either excite or frighten.

"What is it," Ashish say. "Why are you-"

Ashish stop speaking and drop the bottle to the ground, which cause it to shatter into lot of pieces. Ashish felt familiar tingle begin to capture his body, and was reminiscent of time in plane when Kevin Levine gave him shot in the back of the neck, granting him new fireball superpower. Ashish felt stronger, and felt all his nerve and skin cells tingle w/ lot of electron. Electronc was component of atom which revolved around nucleus, and was responsible for lot of energy transfer and motion on sub-atomic level. Ashish felt all this happened, and recalled various lessons of science class to explain the happenings of his own body.

Handyman was now getting very disturb, and he got up from floor. For first time, Ashish saw how tall's it. Handyman was making emotional noise and becoming very anger. It was start to back away from Ashish, and cover his own ears like he didn't even want to hear what's happening around him in the world.

"No..." Handyman say, running away to corner of alley.

"YO," Ashish say, getting anger as well. Ashish followed Handyman to try to get him to calm down and maybe be friends w/ him. While viewing Handyman in repose, Ashish knew it was a kind and gentle soul capable of lot of good, especially due to fact it had such a generous and visible heart, but was become misunderstood and frustrate w/ the way it was treat in society for purposes of carnival show and public humiliation. Ashish heard of such experimentation being done on individual for sake of perfection throughout course of history. It was called eugenic, and it was a tragic thing to even think about doing it to someone else for purposes of scientific gain.

Handyman stopped running at end of alley when he realized he didn't even have anywhere to even go to.

"I just want to be your friend," Ashish say. "Without friendship, there is no future worth to even fight for it..."

"No..." Handyman say.

Ashish walk closer to try and pet it on shoulder. "It's ohk," Ashish say.

"No..." Handyman say, trying to get away from Ashish in corner.

"Good boy," Ashish say-

"NOOO!" Handyman yell, and push Ashish away down to ground.

Ashish was amaze at force of Handyman. With just one push, he threw Ashish all the way across alley to the entrance of it. Handyman was now yelling, and very anger. And, he jumped so high into the air and was about to land on Ashish.

Because Ashish was special trained by both Loosev and Jones for high octane, high risk mission, he rolled out of way on reflex and sprang into martial artistic action. He felt new superpowers bubble to surface, and when Handyman swung his arm 2 hit Ashish, Ashish struck back with shock jock power to conduct electricity into metal body suit of handyman, since electricity was well conduct by various metal such as copper, iron, and various other transition metals from periodic table of element.

Ashish used thundershock like he saw in various video game and children television cartoon he knew Todd watched on Saturday morning, and all of sudden understood appeal and power of fictional creatures who used it, and why it was such an effective method of marketing product for children to buy in the form of film, television show, video game, and stuffed toy.

Handyman was hit by the electrical surge of it, and was knock into nearby brick wall of alleyway. The metallic suit of Handyman caused impact crater to become ingrain into brick surface, damaging structural integrity of the same, and then, Handyman fell to ground, unable to move limbs due to shorting out of circuitry, which was a common principle Ashish learn when he used to be engineering student in some university long time ago, prior to joining service of Loosev Man.

Ashish walk up to Handyman, who was on ground on hands/knees, defeated and tired due to combination of high electrical voltage.

"I'm sorry..." Handyman say.

"No," Ashish say, taking out nunchuk. He looked down at failed experiment of Handyman, who was a poor sufferer of eugenics and selfish biomechanical procedure to improve state of humanity at expense of free will and natural beauty. Handyman was become some bomination of nature, and Ashish blinked back some tear due to fact that it was a sad thing to see it. "I'm sorry this happened to you," Ashish say.

"Kill me," Handyman say. "Set me free."

"Ohk," Ashish say.

Then, Ashish used nunchuk and hit Handyman over the head few times until he died.

After traumatic experience w/ Handyman was finish, Ashish began 2 wonder what other kind of unlawful experiment were going on in secret city of Columbia. Handyman was proof that such occurrences were devoidful of any kind of ethical moral alignment in the scientific group who designed it, and that things were progress in Columbia in manner which was separate from the moral fabric of society which was exist down below the clouds on continental shelves, mainland, and other areas which were much closer to sea level or some other altitude. Ashish was sadden at nature of city up here, and knew he had 2 free Elizabeth in order to get back to the future and maybe save Bhup.

Ashish walked around for a bit in Columbia, listening to music on his iPhone and listening to various street performers do rendition of popular song from YouTube as well. Ashish heard some group in nearby barbershop take break from cutting hair and shavings, and take few minutes to sing "Gangnam Style," which was popular 2012 YouTube hit by Korean sensation that swept music charts in record time. Ashish was fond of the song b/c of significance it held during his prior mission to Dunwall during climactic fight against evil king's men. As Ashish was listen to Gangnam Style and dance to the same, he notice that tempo of song was not properly match to the original of it. Tempo was commonly referred to as speed of song, and Ashish was become anger at unfaithful rendition of one of modern culture's most prized songs. It was a sad thing to observe such traditions were not properly maintain in Columbia, so Ashish decide to leave current floating island to go to island which was commonly designate as Finkton.

Sun was begin to set as Ashish walk to the edge of the floating island he was on, to prepare to board onto skyline to take him to different part of Columbia: namely - Finkton. He was excite for date w/ exotic female Daisy. As he walked near edge to use nunchuk to hook onto skyline, he heard someone say:

"Hey!"

Ashish turned around and saw bunch of white standing in group, unhappy to be looking at Ashish. They were wearing very proper, expensive garment, which likely cost great deal of money to make or buy. Ashish recognized faces they were making as they looked at him + color of his skin. There was five of them total of it, and few of them were holding baseball.

"This ain't your part of town, darkie!" one of them say, and throw ball at Ashish.

Ashish dodged the same, and looked over his shoulder as baseball flew over edge of island and bounced off balloon portion of some blimp that was fly around. Ashish looked up at other parts of sky and noticed some other blimp, dirigible, and other kind of aircraft going around. It truly was a beautiful day. Shameful of a thing to do for those guys to ruin it and make Ashish anger...

"All this technology and science," Ashish say, feeling his hand warm up w/ fire. "And you guys just throw your balls!"

"Aw, look at that," one of the men tell to Ashish + nearby white friends. "We got him upset. What's the matter, little guy? You too good to play a little catch with the Founders?"

In the distance, Ashish saw tall tower where Elizbeth was supposedly sleep, waiting for strong man to rescue her. He also saw Booker climbing up tower to get to top. Ashish smiled, knowing that mission to rescue Elizbeth was go according to plan.

"If you like throwing balls," Ashish say, smiling. "Maybe you will like this!"

Just then, Ashish unleashed fireball into group of 5 racist white gentlemen, and all five of the same went scatter into different direction due to force of flaming impact of it. Some baseballs went in different direction, and Ashish was proud of fact that he stood up for himself in such affluent of a part of Columbia where citizens were feel entitle to use racism and eugenics to experiment and degrade fellow humankind for betterment of just one echelon of society to advance w/o moral alignment.

Explosion of fireball caused lot of commotion. Many bystanders were stand closeby w/ children, and were fearful of the scene they were watching.

"It's the False Shepherd!" one man say to everyone. "Don't let him get away!"

All of sudden, lot of cops and people were run toward Ashish to try to get him! Ashish also noticed older gentleman wearing blue sport coat w/ red + white pant, who was watching Ashish w/ lot of anger.

"Mr. Saltonstall, sir!" some man say. "That's him. The shepherd!"

"The needs of our great city of Columbia," Saltonstall say, "must come before the desires of any foreigner..."

"It is time to go," Ashish say.

He threw some more fireballs into crowd, killing various aggressor. When he was finish, he turned to ledge of island and jump off it, hooking nunchuk onto skyline to navigate to some new island in Columbian area. Ashish looked behind him and saw angry mob throwing vegetable, ball, and fruit basket at him, but they couldn't even reach it.

Ashish smile. "Maybe next time. Ha ha ha..."

Just then, few other people jumped onto sky-line in pursuit of Ashish, including some old citizen man who was previously speak to Saltonstall about Ashish. Ashish soon realize that Sky-line were like roads b/w various island in Columbia, used for transporting material, people, and other things. If he followed current sky-line he was on, it would take him to pub in Finkton where he could hide from Saltonstall forces.

So, Ashish noticed that pursuers who were chase him were laughing and also shoot guns at him! Ashish fired few fireballs back at them and killed two out of three. Last remaining one was older man + friend of Saltonstall.

Ashish finally reached new island area of Finkton and jumped off sky-line w/ nunchuk. When he was land, old man landed behind him.

"We don't want any trouble, young man. Just come with us. Uncle Charlie won't..." man was say, before unleashing flock of birds onto Ashish! "HURT YA!"

Ashish was disorient by sudden barrage of birds which were materialize around him. Guy who was named 'Charlie' was laughing and hitting Ashish w/ lot of birds, but then after few seconds, Ashish began to swing nunchuk and hit birds away. Then, he unleashed fireball onto Charlie and killed him w/ it. All around him, Ashish also smelled barbecue birds, which were likely to provide nourishment, since Ashish had not eaten in long time. So, Ashish picked up few birds and ate them. After, he walked up to burned corpse of Charlie, and noticed some bottle of liquid in his pocket. Ashish took it out and noticed it was another eugenic formula to offer Ashish to have some new powers. On it was picture of black bird.

So, Ashish drank the potion and felt some more tingle, and a new welcome addition to his arsenal: murder of crows!

After Ashish obtained new power, he looked up and saw that sun was almost set. In distance, he saw something that was cause him lot of distress! Large mechanical bird was flying into tower where Elizabeth was stay, and it was very anger! Ashish knew that Booker was still up there w/ Elizabeth, trying to protect from such an evil creature who would try to inflict some bodily harm.

"Yo!" Ashish yell. "Leave them alone!"

But the large mechanical bird didn't even hear Ashish b/c it was too busy in pursuit of Booker + Elizabeth. Ashish knew he had to perform some kind of action to make distract for the bird to leave alone his friends. Most important thing was completion of mission objective, and Ashish hd 2 do it no matter what was even the cost of it. So, in attempt to make sacrificial decision, Ashish thought to use newfound 'murder of crow' power, which was an appropriate thing to do it b/c his target was bird. Crow was specific specie of bird often associate w/ ominous tendency, dark omen, and poor fortune. It was fitting that Ashish would channel power of crows-just like he channeled power of rats in secret isle of dunwall in previous mission-to aid his quest to save Elizabeth. As Ashish was begin to use his power, a woman walk up next to Ashish and say:

"It's the Songbird! Don't aggravate him or he'll come down here!"

"I am sorry, but I have no choice," Ashish say.

As he say this, Ashish began to think of what Ken Levin say regarding choice, destiny, and future. He also thought of what Loosev said regarding choice, and how choosing certain course of action would cause ripple effect in history, and create different reality where different possibility would happen to create infinite types of it.

"No," Ashish say to correct himself. "I do have choice. And I choose to attack and save my friends!"

Ashish let loose lot of crows toward Songbird to make it distract. Ashish shot many birds up into the sky, and directed all of them toward Songbird to get it to stop. Soon, all birds were pelt into Songbird and cause it minimal damage, but it was enough of a thing to do it to cause Songbird to become distract and anger w/ new aggressor, which was Ashish.

All of sudden, Songbird let out a large scream and was begin to fly toward Ashish! B/c of this, Booker and Elizabeth had chance to escape from tower.

Ashish now understood he had to leave current area and hide from Songbird before it was too late, and before Songbird ended his mission!

Ashish turned and was begin to run away, but he could heard Songbird behind him. It was screaming, and Ashish didn't even know why it's called song bird if it didn't even make any music other than scream. Scream was type of vocal delivery that was commonly associate w/ certain type of music, but in nature, not many birds had ability to do scream, and Ashish was left to wonder if Songbird was also victim of unfortunate biomechanical engineering + eugenic experiment like Handyman, and other victim of Columbia. Ashish didn't even know what's it.

But, he saw an alleyway to turn into. Ashish run straight, and then when he got to the alleyway, he was set to turn right into it. Just as he did...he noticed some electrical disturbance in area, or "tear" as was commonly call in Columbia. Ashish turned corner and ran into tear, and before he knew it, he was transport to another reality.

He was sitting in basement of friend's house, playing game of cards, having food and drink. Bhuppi was there, doing impression of famous actor from movie that was garner lot of enjoyment. Ashish was always laugh at comedic efforts of Bhuppi, and Ashish begin to cry since he missed Bhup so much. He was standing in basement of his friend's house, and in middle of Bhuppi's joke, everyone turned around to say hi to Ashish.

Bhuppi smiled at Ashish and ran up to him. Bhup looked at Ashish like he was seeing some ghost, and Ashish felt the same way, since he recently watched Bhup die by falling out of airplane while strapped to chair.

"Ashish," Bhup say. "You...you can't be alive, man."

"Was going to say the same about you, Bhup."

"There was an accident...years ago, Ashish. You didn't even make it."

Ashish was confuse by this, but all of sudden, memories he didn't even know he had access to were flood into his brain. He saw event Bhup was talking about, the accident which cost him his life. He couldn't see all details...just funeral + after party w/ some cake, pizza, and flowers.

"I hate to say it Bhuppi," Ashish say. "But I can't stay. I'm needed in another reality...and it makes me sad."

"Why, Ashish?"

"Because you died in that reality...and I could not save you, my friend."

Behind him, Ashish noticed tear in space-time was still open. It was getting smaller, and he only had short amount of time before it was close.

"Well," Bhup say. "I am sure you tried your best, man."

"I did," Ashish say, w/ tear in his eye.

"Go, Ashish. Complete your mission. And thanks for coming by. It is meaningful of a thing to do it."

Both Ashish and Bhup were about to shed tear, but Ashish made decision to leave.

"Ohk, Bhup."

In reluctant manner of it, Ashish left basement party and stepped through tear in space time. He looked back at Bhuppi, who was wave to him from basement party w/ other individual. Tear was shrink now, and Ashish was sadden b/c he didn't even know when/if he'd see Bhup again, or even how to do it. He was happy to get to see Bhup in such good condition + health, being happy despite sad circumstance which would cause many to lose faith in life, and maybe even give up hope for promising future filled w/ friends, fond memory, and quality cuisine. Bhup was having good time in other reality, and it was inspire Ashish to strive for the same. Seeing Bhup alive was allow Ashish to have new-found strength for Columbia mission, and when tear was finally close and Bhuppi was gone again, Ashish notice something else: Songbird was gone.

Air was quiet, and sun was set. Ashish was walk down alleyway and see entrance to pub. It had sign which say "Irish and Colored Only," so Ashish walk into it. Bartender was look at Ashish, did nod movement w/ his head and allow Ashish to walk beyond current area. Ashish took stairs in back of room, and walked down to them, to a basement of it. As he was walk down to basement, he heard laughter and various other element indicative of activity with numerous individual. He immediately thought of Bhuppi in basement w/ his guests, doing celebrity impression and other comedic activity. Ashish smile at this and blink some tears for it.

More he think about it, more it was fade from his memory, like current reality wasn't same as other reality, like it was some kind of dream to have at night and dissipate when you wake up from the same.

Ashish was reach bottom of stair, and was half-expect to see Bhup portraying movie celebrity w/ impersonations of it. Instead, he saw Daisy and her comrades.

"Just in time," Daisy say, smiling. "Come. Sit."


	3. Back to the Future of the Same

**Section 3 **

"_Back to the Future of the Same"_

* * *

"What do you mean, Booker Do It is dead?" Ashish ask.

Ashish was flabbergast. It was only moments ago that he had distracted Songbird w/ goal of letting Elizabeth and Booker go free in order to complete mission, and now Daisy was inform him that Booker was dead of a man to call it?

"He died a hero, Ashish. A martyr for the Vox Populi."

"Hehehe," Ashish say. 'Vox populi' was silly name to Ashish, and was cause him to laugh at it b/c it was remind him of chicken pox. Ashish looked around room of basement, and notice that there were lot of crates full of gun, ammo, and explosive.

"What's so funny?" Daisy ask him. She was begin to get frustrate, Ashish could see, and he needed to be careful if he was hope 2 get date w/ her.

"Nothing, Daisy. What's all the weapons for? You know I will protect you, my dear..."

"Save it."

"Ohk," Ashish say. Still, he couldn't believe Booker's dead...or what happened to Elizabeth, even...

"We're gonna raid Comstock's airship and send his ass straight to hell. Religious guy like him wants to be close to God? Well, I'm gonna send him and everyone last goddamn one of those Founders the other way. It's time they know who they're fucking with."

Ashish was surprise by sudden use of profane language on behalf of Daisy. Foul language was commonly use by people with poor temper, poor upbringing, and who had habit of making bad choice in life. Profanity was unbecoming of such beautiful lady, and Ashish was not happy to learn of this new development from within the object of his affections in secret city of Columbia. Something about Daisy was different, like she was different person than she was before.

"Ur cute when ur angry," Ashish say, touching locket of hair on Daisy's head.

"Are you with us, Ashish?"

"Yea ok," Ashish say. "Will use my powers to do it."

"Good boy," Daisy say. "First step is to take over this town. We gotta take out Fink and rally the people in this area."

Ashish found it disrespectful of a thing to say it when Daisy refer to him as "boy," b/c it was indicate of lack of respect on behalf of Daisy, like she didn't even like to have him around in romantic capacity, or what. Still, Ashish knew it was tense time of emotional situation, and that he had to be by side of Daisy through thick and thin, which was expression commonly use to depict difficult time and not difficult time.

"Who's it," Ashish say.

"Fink runs this part of town. He also runs those carnivals where people get to chuck baseballs at people for the color of their skin."

"Oh, ok," Ashish, recalling previous encounter w/ Booker at carnival involving baseball and fight w/ police officers.

"You ready, Ashish?"

"Am," Ashish say.

After that, Ashish + vox left basement of bar and went to go to house of Jeremiah Fink. As Ashish was walk around Finkton, he was notice that is was area of impoverish citizens who were not even fortunate to be able to buy things such as grocery, suitable clothing, toys, dvd, or even some sport equipment.

"It is a shame," Ashish say. He didn't even like to see the way surroundings had become in such slummy environment b/c of people like Fink who decide to put common people own instead of rally together for making benefit of greater good to come of it.

"Not for long," Daisy say.

Ashish and Daisy finally get to Fink's house, and they bust down the door. Fink had lot of guards blocking entry foyer to his residence, so Ashish + vox had to get busy fighting off guards. There was lot of shooting on both sides...but Ashish did not need guns. He felt his arms and legs tingle, and started to alternate shooting both fireball and bolt of electricity in all sort of direction to inflict maximal levels of damage to strike force of Jeremiah Fink. Combined w/ all the shooting being done by vox + Daisy, vox were quickly winning.

"This fight's ours!" Daisy yelled over gunfire. She was smiling, laugh, and also shoot at Fink's guards, and Ashish realize how exotic and wild and sexy she look while in her element, killing lot of people. While Ashish was zap and blaze enemies, he noticed how Daisy move in slow motion as he watch her. Ashish decided if this was truly a woman to marry, one who enjoyed killing vs. one who had to kill out of necessity and for just cause. Daisy seemed to be fighting for just cause...but it was also seem to be an apparent thing that she was letting power of guns and violence affect her in negative fashion, which was cause her to do questionable things to people, like shooting dead bodies multiple time, throwing explosive, and laughing about the same.

Time sped back up, and fight was proceed normally, until at a final point, all of Fink guards were dead.

"Vox populi!" Daisy yell, and so did remaining vox.

Ashish looked around and noticed that lot of vox were also killed. Ashish was sadden by all the violence, even though he was a willful participant of the same. He looked around at battlefield, and for first time since he arrived in Columbia, he didn't even know why he was fighting or even helping to do it. He forgot that real reason he was here was to save Elizabeth and get back to the future, not to fight alongside girl like Daisy who enjoyed doing it.

"I can't do this w/ you anymore, Daisy," Ashish say. "I'm sorry."

"You belong with us, Ashish. Look at you. No one here will accept you."

"It is untrue of a statement to make it," Ashish say. "Booker and Elizabeth. They are my friend."

"Booker's dead," Daisy say.

"May be!" Ashish say. "And may be not even..."

"I don't have time for this," Daisy say.

"Make time," a man voice say.

Ashish turned around to corner of room and saw two people he was so happy to see: Booker "Do It" + Elizabeth. He was happy to see they were safe, and knew it was a true thought to think it that they could not possibly be dead.

"No," Daisy say. "It's a trick. It's an impostor! Kill him!" she yelled, instructing vox populi to attacker Booker.

"No!" Ashish say, using fireball + electricity + natural murderous flock of crow to attack vox and neutralize their force.

Meanwhile, Daisy was flee from foyer, toward other end of the house where Jeremiah Fink was reside. She disappeared into next room, and Ashish turned to Booker + Elizabeth.

"Am glad you are among the living," Ashish say to them. "I heard..."

"I know," Booker said. "You spend enough time with Elizabeth here and you get used to bad news."

Ashish look at Elizabeth, and for first time since his arrival in secret floating city of Columbia, he was expose to her charming, Disney-like beauty in the flesh. He became excite, and was all of a sudden remind of the true nature of his objective: to rescue Elizabeth, get back to future, and ask her out on date. Ashish was genuflect on one knee, and took hand of Elizabeth. He kissed it and bowed his head.

"It does my heart destinous wonders to see you are safe, too."

"Who are you?" Elizabeth ask to him.

"Am Ashish," Ashish say. "And I am here to-"

Just as Ashish was say it, part of nearby wall was blast open! A large figure emerged from the hole in the wall, and Ashish was flabbergast at how it resembled old historical figure of former President of United State who was feature on five-dollar bill: Abram Lincoln. Large figure was appear to be a robot, similar in construction to Terminator maybe, with tall stature, metallic body, and most important of all: desire to kill heroes such as Ashish and Booker.

_"YOU SHOULD NOT RUN IF YOU ARE NOT GUILTY..."_ was audio that was emanate from motorized patriot Lincoln.

Ashish noticed that motor patriot had big gun it was holding, and after few seconds, it was begin to shoot! It was begin to walk and shoot throughout room, and few vox were get killed by such action.

Ashish took cover w/ Booker and Elizabeth.

"Go," Ashish say. "You have to follow Daisy. She's gone crazy and wants to kill everyone."

"She's got something in common with our friend here," Booker say, peeking over top of barricade to see motor patriot.

"I'll distract," Ashish say. "I have special power," he say, winking at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth was appear disgust but say, "Okay fine. Let's go, Booker."

"Good," Ashish say. "On my count. 1...2 of it...and 3!"

Ashish got up from where he was hide and began to use all of his powers against motorize patriot. He looked into his eyes and notice a distant sadness that was hidden in the mask of the face of it. He was using electricity and fireball on it, and even some crows, but the Gun of the Patriot was too strong to get by. Ashish then began to target the gears of the motor patriot, and saw this was working! He was running around room, using more and more fireball, and then finally...Motorized Patriot was fall down on ground.

Ashish was proud of such an accomplishment, and was glad that such a threat had finished without injury to himself or to his dear friends. He noticed that Booker and Elizabeth were flee to room that Daisy was go to. Ashish ran after them to go follow it, and when he got to next room, he was surprise by what he was to see:

Daisy had killed Jeremiah Fink. Ashish was now convince that Daisy was too wild and crazy of an exotic female and much more like a Femme Fatale who would try to kill lot more of people before she was satisfy by her desire for power + other emotional superiority over other individual. One other thing that Ashish saw that was make him disgust, was that she was holding hostage a young boy! Just a kid!

Ashish thought of many times in his apartment when living with Todd, who was so small of a white child, that he would become frustrate with the boy. Todd would always behave in insolent manner and cause headache for Ashish. No matter how many fight he would do w/ Todd, or how frustrate or anger he would get...he never even thought of even doing such a thing to Todd where it would hurt him. Watching Daisy about to hurt such a small boy...he knew that the mind of Daisy was truly too lost of a thing to ever find it.

"Daisy! Don't even do it!" Ashish yell. He looked over and saw Booker, who was similarly disgust w/ actions of Daisy.

But, Ashish didn't even see where's Elizabeth.

"Psst," Ashish whisper to Booker. "Where's it."

Booker didn't even look back at Ashish. Instead, he looked up at air vent above Daisy. Air vent was common installation in various building which, if use properly, was contribute to proper convection of air flow throughout structure to allow for improved quality of breath, ventilation, heat, cold, and some oxygen so that it could be reach to various tissues inside of body which were benefit from oxygen-rich hemoglobin.

Air vent above Daisy was open in quiet manner, and inside of it, Ashish saw as Elizabeth was emerge from the same. Ashish smile as he watched her descend from vent, behind Daisy. Looking more closely, Ashish was watch as Elizabeth was wield scissor. Elizabeth walked up behind Daisy, took out scissor and...

"Oohhhhhhhh!" Ashish say...

Elizabeth then stab Daisy through the back w/ the scissor, causing irreparable damage to body structure of Daisy, which was cause lot of blood to come out, impeding flow to organs, extremity, as well as ability to properly breathe and heal from the same. Ashish was sadden to continue to see lot of violence happening to people he knew in city of Columbia, but on other hand, he was happy to see that one child was spared from such tumultuous of a war that was develop b/w the Voxes and the Founders.

W/ Daisy dead, Elizabeth returned to Booker and Ashish.

"We still gotta get to Comstock," Booker tell to them. "The airship. Come on."

"Ohk," Ashish say. "You two get on it. I will stay behind and wait for you to do it."

"After all you've done? We need you," Elizabeth tell to him.

Ashish smiled at thought of Elizabeth expressing desire for Ashish, but he was think back to mission briefing w/ Loosev during initial drop into Columbia after diving out of plane from Ken Levince. Loosev warned him to allow Booker to do his own job, and to not even interfere too closely with it. At this point in his adventurous mission, Ashish had done many things to interfere, but w/ various tears in space-time continuum due to unstable nature of Columbia + increased Tear activity from Elizabeth, Ashish didn't even know if he could control it anymore. He had choices to make, and he needed to let Booker do his job, and not get in the way of it.

"I'm sorry, my dear Elizabeth," Ashish say. "Go now. This is not my fight."

Booker was look at Ashish, and then at Elizabeth. "Come on," Booker say. "He's made up his mind. Let's go."

With that, Booker took Elizabeth away from Ashish, but not before the two of them shared a destinous look of longing and love toward one another. Ashish smile at this, and watched as Book + Liz boarded airship to go visit Comstock. Ashish had to figure out new way of helping his friends w/o interfere in their destinies...but how could he even do such a thing when every choice he was make would bring him closer to them? Ashish didn't even know.

He watched as the airship was fly away into the night. But then! Ashish was knock over by large shock wave and big scream that follow. He looked up at airship and saw that large metallic figure from earlier, which was almost claim his life: The Songbird.

Songbird was back in action, and very anger at the escape of Elizabeth + Booker. It was fly after them to retrieve Elizabeth and complete its own mission objective. Ashish watched as airship was knock into by Songbird, and when Songbird was break into ship to get Elizabeth. Ashish was hear screams coming from ship, and he recognized voice of Elizabeth. Couple seconds later, Songbird was scream into the air and fly away from ship due to fact that it successful had recaptured Elizabeth!

"No..." Ashish say. He was worry about Elizabeth, and Booker, and fate of future.

Ashish watched trajectory of Songbird as it was fly away, but as he was pursue, he stumbled into another Tear disturbance in space-time. He walked into it, and he saw some old lady. She was very resemble to Elizabeth, with similar facial feature, missing pinky finger, plus other attractive feature. Ashish was watch elderly Elizabeth from distance, and saw she was speak to Booker. Elizabeth give to Booker something, but Ashish couldn't even see what's it.

All around him, Ashish watched as Columbia was shoot down weapons of mass destruction planet Earth below. Ashish was disgust with this, and didn't even know why Elizabeth would allow such a thing to happen to it, due to fact that she had good heart and beautious soul.

Before Ashish knew it, Booker was disappear! Ashish then walk up to Elizabeth and talk to her.

"Why is this happen?" he ask her.

"Ashish..." she say.

"Yo."

"This isn't your future, Ashish. You never should've come," she told him.

"But I'm here now. And I need to get back," Ashish say. "Back to the future."

"But not this future."

"How do I fix it," Ashish ask her. "I want to save Bhuppi and go home. How do I bring him back?"

"You don't," Elizabeth say. "You prevent yourselves from coming here. Killing Comstock, or anyone else, won't matter if you keep coming here. Your friend will still be dead."

"Oh, ok," Ashish say, becoming sadden. He thought of airplane w/ Bhuppi and Kain Lavin, and every scenario which was involve the destruction of the plane, and the death of Bhup. Even if plane wasn't destroy, KL would dominate and manipulate Ashish into having superpower and using the same for vengeful purpose.

"Look," Elizabeth say. She opened a tear within current tear, which was similar to what Ashish saw in popular movie called 'Inception,' which was starring various celebrity involving dream, hidden desire, secret code, espionage, and men w/ gun trying to shoot good guy. Inside tear was Ken Levine, man from earlier who had caused all of it to happen.

"It is him," Ashish say.

"Even if this man is dead in your reality now," Elizabeth say, "and your friend...there is a reality where none of this comes to pass. For either of you."

"Where's it," Ashish say, becoming excite. If there was possibility to get back to the future w/ Bhup, he wanted to do it.

"You have to die, Ashish."

"Yo," Ashish say. "It isn't funny, man. If I die, how will I do it."

Ashish was confuse by time travel due to fact that it contained lot of inherent paradox, and simultaneous reality which were difficult for him to even do comprehension of it. Even when watching Back 2 Future movie, Ashish was confuse in sequel when there was two of Marty doing different things, such as challenging bully, going to dance, singing song on stage, and evading capture.

"If you die at a certain point in time, all these realities stop," Elizabeth tell him.

"Ohhh, ok," Ashish say. "I'll do it."

"Good luck, young man."

Ashish was happy at being called 'man' due to fact that at previous point, Daisy called him 'boy,' which was rude of a connotation to use it. Smiling, Ashish stepped back through Tear in space-time continuum and returned to Columbia he previously knew. When he entered through it again, he came back just in time to see Booker kill Comstock!

"Wow!" Ashish say, smiling. "Good job, man. Way to go, you did it."

Ashish was clap and whistle for Booker, who finally accomplished his mission after much difficulty evading Songbird, vox troop, various eugenic enhanced monster in Columbia, and hardship involving space-time travels. Ashish was smile and ran up to Booker and gave him pat on back.

"You are true of a hero to be called one," Ashish told to him.

"Now all I have to do is kill the Comstocks in all the other realities. Three cheers for us," Booker say. "Right, Elizabeth?"

"No," Elizabeth say. "Every choice you make creates infinite realities, Booker. In every reality where you're alive, Comstock rises to power here."

"Yo, where's Comstock," Ashish say.

Booker sat down in chair. He looked up at Elizabeth and nodded.

"Where's it," Ashish say.

"He's right here, kid," Booker tell him. "You're looking at him."

Ashish was confuse due to fact that Comstock was old man who was just now killed by Booker, but now Booker was try to explain that Booker was also Comstock?

"It's the only way, Booker," Elizabeth told to him.

"You're right," Booker say. "I'm ready."

Just then, Elizabeth opened up some Tear. She took Booker through it and left Ashish where he was. Couple seconds later, Ashish was jostle around as reality around him was begin to change. Columbia itself was change all around him and time was move backward! All memories of Columbia were travel backward-all the fights w/ eugenic monster, police force, Songbird...all of it.

Finally, he was taken back to cargo plane w/ Kendrick Lavigne was talk to him about destiny and inject him w/ needle. Ashish was feel his body tingle. Bhup was sitting in chair, tied up to it, and so was Ashish. Plane turbulence was a familiar thing to feel it in sky.

"Oh, ok," Ashish say. "But what does your mom call you by? What name is it."

Ashish waited for him to answer and was smile while wait for it.

"...My name is Ken Levine," the man in the airplane told to Ashish in the chair of it.

"Good," Ashish say, breaking free from his chair via use of fireball.

"Yes," Kenneth tell him. "Do what you were destined to do, Ashish. Destroy me. Go to Columbia."

Ashish took nunchuk off of table and was walk toward Levon, who was back away into a wall.

"Make the future a reality," he told to Ashish. "Make me proud-"

Ashish swing nunchuk and hit KL in the testicles, knocking him to his knees.

"We are the deciders of our own destiny," Ashish say, readying his fireballs. Instead of aiming for the walls or door, he aimed it at himself. After speaking w/ Elizabeth in other reality, he knew what he was have to do.

"No," Ken Levine say. "You wouldn't."

Ashish looked over at Bhup, who was tied up in chair, still without even conscious. He looked back at the man who brought him here, who would wish to destinously turn him into some harbinger of doom over the islands of Columbia, and even the rest of the world.

"For my world...for my friends...for my destiny..." Ashish say.

"No..." Levine say.

"I'll do it," Ashish say.

Ashish used fireball on himself. He felt his body grow warm as his body was cook like barbecue. Ken Levine was scream a lot, trying to get Ashish to stop. Last thing Ashish was see before it all went to darkness, was Bhuppi sitting up in chair, watching as his best friend cooked himself alive in cargo plane...


	4. Would You Fall From It Kindly: The Sea

**Epilogue**

"W_ould You Fall From It Kindly: The Sea"_

* * *

Ashish was sit in his apartment + watch TV w/ Bhuppi on couch. It was beautiful of a day outside, and Ashish was wonder what kind of movie to watch tonight.

"Yo, man," Bhuppi say, reading magazine.

"What's it," Ashish say, flipping channel.

"What would you rather do," Bhuppi tell him, "City in the sky, or city in the sea?"

Ashish think about it for a minute. He didn't even know if there was a possible way to construct such a way to make a city that would float in the clouds, or even if someone could do it under the ocean and accomplish the same. The construction of such a thing would require lot of magnitude, but Ashish didn't even know if it's possible. He was just about to tell Bhup his answer of where he would prefer to go, when he got phone call.

He looked at caller ID and didn't even know it. But, Ashish picked up iPhone to answer.

"Yo," Ashish say.

Ashish listen for a bit, and he was hear heavy breathing on phone. He didn't even know who's it, but he was listen due to fact that it was proper etiquette to wait for answer on other end of phone before deciding proper protocol to talk or hang up on it.

Then...he was hear a voice:

_"I want to play a game,"_ man on phone say to him.

Ashish heard voice...and for brief moment...thought it sound familiar to him, like it was come from some man who had strong beard, good t-shirt, and nice pair of jean pant...

"What's it," Ashish say.

_"Tell me, Ashish..."_ man say._ "Can you swim?"_

Before Ashish could answer, phone ran out of battery and lost power, which was necessary to make it function as a tool. Ashish looked at phone for few seconds, slapped it couple of times to get it to work. When he couldn't even do it, he tossed it on table to go back to watch TV.

"Oh, ok," he say.


End file.
